John Kasich supports “Grannygate” ad (and then disclaims any responsibility for it)

On second thought, Governor, I actually preferred it when your spokesman was just issuing a “no comment” on Building a Better Ohio’s “Grannygate” ad.

Gov. John Kasich, the main pitchman for Building a Better Ohio, said this morning that he doesn’t “run the campaign,” but “what they’re doing is fine."

“The ads and literature out there supporting Issue 2’s been based on facts,” Kasich told reporters following a speech to the Independent Insurance Agents of Ohio meeting. “We want people to pay their fair share and we want our cities to survive. Mayor (Mike) Bell, the mayor of Toledo, has argued that if he can’t control his costs he’ll have to lay off safety forces, which we don’t want to do.

“Controlling your costs allow you to get it right, so I think we’ve been pretty factual about it,” Kasich continued. “The problem with the campaign – they’ve been emotional and we’ve been factual. And in campaigns, emotion usually wins. That’s kind of where we are.”

John Kasich may not run the campaign, but his staff does… at least that’s what the Dispatchreported just a month ago:

Beth Hansen, Kasich’s chief of staff making $170,000 per year, has taken a leave of absence to join Building a Better Ohio. She will serve as a senior adviser with a primary focus on media strategy, Mauk said.

You read that right. John Kasich’s right-hand woman, his chief-of-staff, is on an unpaid leave of absence from her job to work for Better Ohio as the senior advisor on “media strategy.”

So for Kasich to suggest he has “no control” over this ad suggest his staff runs him. And by saying that he doesn’t run the campaign is a tacit admission that Kasich believes that if he as Governor and titular head of the Ohio Republican Party told his own staff to back off this ad, they wouldn’t listen to him?!

By the way, what does “pretty factual” say to you? Is that like “kind of” pregnant? Is Kasich essentially saying: “we haven’t exceeded the appropriate limit of partisan b.s. in this campaign?” Because in case the Governor hadn’t heard, the “Grannygate” ad he just publicly stood behind is so “pretty factual” that thirty television stations have declared they will no longer run it because they believe the factual errors in it might expose them to litigation.

And this public relations viral brushfire disaster that Kasich so wisely decided to throw gasoline on couldn’t come at a much worse time as this is when undecided voters start focusing on the race and making their decision. Voters are voting, especially seniors who tend to identify with the great-grandmother caught in the middle of Grannygate.

Kasich could have limited the damage and start to put the fire out. Instead, he decided that a campaign that is getting outspent 5:2 and down double digits in the polls with now less than four weeks to go until the election ends can afford even more news cycles on Grannygate.

“Governor Kasich and his political operatives should be ashamed for defending their underhanded tactics of twisting Marlene Quinn’s words in order to benefit their agenda of passing Issue 2,” said Melissa Fazekas, We Are Ohio spokeswoman. “This just proves they will do or say anything to mislead voters. It’s beyond time they admit they were wrong and apologize to Marlene, her family and all first responders.”

Why did BetterOhio attempt to steal the ad? Because they know that it’s a powerful ad that is hurting them. But their response to it damaged them probably more than the ad did if they had said nothing in response. A political response ad that eats several news cycles generating negative press for you while it doesn’t even run in the rotation you intended because thirty stations refuse risking being sued by airing it anymore is probably something they teach you to avoid in political campaign consultant school. The second rule is: do no harm. Better Ohio this week violated both rules, and now Kasich continues this story with his stunning lack of morality to call out what even some of the most partisan pro-Issue 2 folks will admit was an ad that crossed the line.

John Kasich shows you can win an election, and not be a leader. What else can you say about a guy who publicly approves misusing a great-grandmother to promote a political agenda she actually opposes? (NSFW)

Sorry to say, Modern, but it will probably be an underground economy that will “save” us if it can. People will do what they have to to survive in a society where work is not permitted because it has been “overtaxed”. There will be no victories in this battle.

It also sounds like he’s trying to distance himself and make excuses for Issue 2’s ultimate defeat : “The problem with the campaign – they’ve been emotional and we’ve been factual. And in campaigns, emotion usually wins.”

Anonymous

Seems like it is against Ohio law too. Maybe one of you legal people can sort this out…from the ORC
3517.22 Infiltration of campaign – false statements in campaign materials – issues.(A) No person during the course of any campaign in advocacy of or in opposition to the adoption of any proposition or issue submitted to the voters shall knowingly and with intent to affect the outcome of such campaign do any of the following:(1) Serve, or place another person to serve, as an agent or employee in the election campaign organization of a committee which advocates or is in opposition to the adoption of any ballot proposition or issue for the purpose of acting to impede the conduct of the campaign on the proposition or issue or of reporting information to the employee’s employer or the agent’s principal without the knowledge of the committee;(2) Promise, offer, or give any valuable thing or valuable benefit to any person who is employed by or is an agent of a committee in advocacy of or in opposition to the adoption of any ballot proposition or issue, for the purpose of influencing the employee or agent with respect to the improper discharge of the employee’s or agent’s campaign duties or to obtain information about the committee’s campaign organization.(B) No person, during the course of any campaign in advocacy of or in opposition to the adoption of any ballot proposition or issue, by means of campaign material, including sample ballots, an advertisement on radio or television or in a newspaper or periodical, a public speech, a press release, or otherwise, shall knowingly and with intent to affect the outcome of such campaign do any of the following:(1) Falsely identify the source of a statement, issue statements under the name of another person without authorization, or falsely state the endorsement of or opposition to a ballot proposition or issue by a person or publication;(2) Post, publish, circulate, distribute, or otherwise disseminate, a false statement, either knowing the same to be false or acting with reckless disregard of whether it was false or not, that is designed to promote the adoption or defeat of any ballot proposition or issue.(C) Before a prosecution may commence under this section, a complaint shall be filed with the Ohio elections commission under section 3517.153 of the Revised Code. After the complaint is filed, the commission shall proceed in accordance with sections 3517.154 to 3517.157 of the Revised Code.Effective Date: 08-24-1995

Anonymous

Hey c’mon Reps learn their politics from a master…TRICKY DICK NIXON.

Fotogirlcb2002

Kasich said ” “Controlling your costs allow you to get it right, so I think we’ve been pretty factual about it,” Kasich continued. “The problem with the campaign – they’ve been emotional and we’ve been factual. And in campaigns, emotion usually wins. That’s kind of where we are.”
HUH ?? He looked pretty emotional when he was calling the cop an idiot! What facts? police, firefighters , state employees can NOT strike –its in the contracts –has been for years. We all pay our fair share .
What does he mean “thats kind of where we are ” he must still be at that crossroads place waiting for a ride.
IF he was any kind of leader he would have asked the ad be pulled — enough said.

Granny was swayn older Ohioans because she kept it simple n to the facts. Kasich n crew saw the damage n so they spliced the 2 ads…He was tryn to use what appears to be an ad that they were threatened by n losing votes. If we could now let people know n make them realize its over a seat at the table..collective bargaining..period..Now he’s using fear once again, threatening safety, layoffs…clearly..I voted No on issue 2..because Granny’s right…NO ON ISSUE 2

KASICH says pay our fair share, which we have conceeded too. I will nt give up my seat at the table..Ossue 2 is a bad bill, it hurts every1…except Kasich, n his legislators which made themselves exempt..ohhh..n are now sittn on a 40 percent raise…who pays? We..the taxpayers of Ohio…When are our legislatures going to lead by example? VOTE NO ON ISSUE 2..PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY…